Weatherboard is a popular type of exterior cladding that is used on homes throughout Australia.
Traditionally made from timber, weatherboard houses first appeared in the 1850s when steam-driven timber mills made production a lot faster and cheaper. Timber is notoriously high-maintenance, so nowadays weatherboards are available in durable materials such as aluminium, fibre-cement, metal, acrylic and vinyl. This type of cladding can be spotted on worker’s cottages, Queenslanders, California bungalows and new builds, too.
The charm of weatherboard homes is undeniable; they are visually interesting, adding a rhythmic texture that settles a building on its site.
To understand the appeal of this Aussie architectural archetype, take a look at 23 of our favourites from the archives
23 archetypal weatherboard homes
Owned by vintage curator Amanda and builder Michael Skipper, this circa-1830 part-weatherboard, part-brick home looks out upon the still, oyster-laden waters of Georges Bay. “My favourite spot is the front verandah,” says Amanda.
A clever layout and upcycled materials enabled a NSW architect to double the size of this 1930s weatherboard cottage without compromising its charm.
AFL star Trent Cotchin’s idyllic family home in Melbourne is a traditional, historic weatherboard cottage with generous, light-filled living spaces and a strong indoor-outdoor connection.
This gently updated weatherboard cottage in the Hunter Valley is surrounded by flourishing fruit trees and has been restored by a young family dreaming of an idyllic country life.
This storied weatherboard cottage in Lyonville, VIC, evokes simpler times and an enveloping feel. The neighbour’s flock of sheep and a blackberry-nibbling goat named Jerry add to the sleepy pastoral ambience.
A pretty weatherboard cottage in Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains, NSW, makes the perfect backdrop for a stylist’s beloved collection of vintage finds.
The exterior of this weatherboard cottage in Melbourne is painted Dulux Ironstone, with trims in Snow Season. “Ironstone is such a beautiful, cool colour that looks incredible in the changing light,” says the owner, Claire Taffe.
This newly built farmhouse looks undeniably great, but the design choices serve an even more important purpose: to stave off bushfires and heat. “We always had a pretty good idea that it was to be traditionally Australian with a verandah for the heat and a high rating for bushfires, with cement sheeting weatherboards and tiles on the outside decking,” says owner Clare.
This new build by design duo Oak and Orange brings their signature coastal-chic interiors to the country, with a white weatherboard home filled with touches of farmhouse charm.
This bright weatherboard home is “…a typical beach house – easy to live in and designed to comfortably accommodate a couple of families in a casual, relaxed way,” says owner Anthony Spon-Smith. “We all enjoy gathering out here as the sun sets and the girls tumble about on the lawn in the cool of the evening,” he adds.
Originally a postwar 1940s weatherboard beach house in Avalon on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, this light home is now a modern four-bedroom family home. Owner Adam Yazxhi specified Haymes Paint in Putty Grey for the exterior walls.
The owner of this white weatherboard cottage in rural Victoria repurposed these white gates to enclose her verandah. “They’re from my grandfather’s farm and were on the sheep-drafting race – I remember hanging off them as a little girl,” she says.
A weatherboard home in tropical Byron Bay is a blissful oasis for a busy couple and their three young kids. “The home now has a beautiful energy and every room flows from inside to outside,” owner Sally adds. “It’s perfect for entertaining and is very private and safe for the kids because it’s tucked away from the street.”
A dark 1950s fibro cottage on Sydney’s northern beaches has been turned into a bright four-bedroom oasis. With a flexible single-storey floor plan, this light and luxurious home on Sydney’s northern beaches suits the needs of everyone in the family.
A family’s dream of an eco-house by the beach is made a reality in Sydney’s Freshwater with their five-bedroom modern weatherboard house in the Sydney suburb of Freshwater. Cleverly designed decking ensures the home looks directly over the pool, giving this space a resort vibe.
Weatherboards add even more charm to this converted 19th-century church in Hawkesbury, two hours north of Sydney.
After giving away the existing house for free, the owners of this Newcastle property built the coastal home they’d always dreamt of, including a unique pitched roof and weatherboard panelling on the warm white modern facade.
A relaxed, beachy beauty runs right through this freshly extended 1920s home on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Plantation shutters create privacy and reference the home’s heritage.
From the outset, Andrew and Brielle knew they wanted a single-level weatherboard home. “We both absolutely love weatherboards for their warmth, character and charm,” says Brielle. The size of their block gave them the space for a sprawling layout, accommodating five bedrooms plus an office, with both formal and everyday living spaces.
A tidy weatherboard built by a landscaper designer was utterly transformed when his new interior designer wife moved in! See more of this Queensland country retreat.
An all-white Hamptons-style revamp transformed this Sydney home. Scyon Linea weatherboard cladding in a crisp white tone called K2 by Porter’s Paints brings welcome charm to the facade.
The front of this 1910 weatherboard cottage in the NSW Southern Highlands features white French doors and a beautiful cottage garden filled with lilacs, a hedge of teucrium and a cherry blossom tree.
Built from scratch, this contemporary weatherboard house features a simple yet stylish beachy aesthetic with stunning ocean views.
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